Globetrotting Through Time

The beginning stages of any film is a nerve-racking yet exciting experience. To me, this stage of a documentary enhances these crazy emotions – especially when your subject matter is so special to you. As many of you already know, I’m heading to Amsterdam and Paris in September for a little vacation time.

What I haven’t revealed to the world yet is my intention to shoot some concept footage for a lengthy documentary project I am embarking upon. I’ve decided to call it Globetrotting Through Time. It is a documentary about recreating pictures that my Great Grandpa Louie took on one of his trips around the world back in the 60s. There will be side by sides of pictures from then and now as well as an expose on the process of finding these exact sites despite the inevitable changes 50 years will have on a place.

Amongst the globetrotting community, there is a theory that this wanderlust that drives us is hereditary. This theory will be explored in my documentary through interviews with my cousins who are obsessed with travel as well and potentially my Great Grandpa Louie’s only living daughter – my Great Aunt Rona who will share her experiences growing up with him and some insight into what was important to him. There will be excerpts from his travel journals read and various pictures shown from places such as Amsterdam, Paris, Tel Aviv, South Africa, Copenhagen, and many more places around the world.

This is a special piece to me because I think that it is rare to have such special relics from a time where the world was a different place, a time when a travel blog was in two separate pieces – the journal and the scrapbook – and they were only shared amongst family and friends.

20 June , 201720 June , 2017 by Sam Categories: Film, Ideas, PhotographyTags: 60s, documentary, film, globetrotting, movies, Photography, today, travel, traveltuesday, wanderlust Leave a comment

Thoughts on Cafe Society

 

Woody Allen has always been on my top list of directors, from the classic Annie Hall to Midnight In Paris to You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger (which I was fortunate enough to walk the red carpet at Cannes for) he has captivated me with his dry humor and quick wit. Sure his style of cinema is a bit slow moving but the writing is top notch.

Cafe Society had a star studded cast with some of my favorite people to watch including Jesse Eisenberg and Blake Lively. Being a period piece during this cinephile’s favorite era of Hollywood was icing on the cake. The vernacular and the outfits were impeccable, I have always imagined what it would be like working in the film industry during the early part of the 1900s when the studio houses were on the rise. People like Adolf Zukor and Marcus Loew were the ones to rub shoulders with.

Ever since I started learning about the history of America’s film industry in Cinema History classes I became obsessed. I stumbled across an old copy of Fitzgerald’s Love of the Last Tycoon in a library in Holland and ate the novel up in a measly six hours. Hollywood’s Big Six had me captivated with every scandalous detail.

Back to Woody’s most recent masterpiece, I really appreciated seeing the way a young naive boy can go out to Hollywood, get chewed up by the industry and spit out a hardened soul capable of things that previously seemed out of character for them. Eisenberg played this character well, perfectly portraying the nervous awkwardness of a child new to the scene then flowing into the fast talking, swanky NYC club manager rubbing shoulders with all of high society.

It was painful for me to see Eisenberg’s character go through the despicable male flaw that his uncle portrayed back in Hollywood. It was disgusting to see him move on from his first love, find a beautiful woman who had his child, just to turn around and cheat on her with his first love – who is married to his Uncle. It was practically incestuous. I was glad to see that they didn’t take it further than a lot of time and a kiss but sad that he went down that road at all. He seemed like a stand up guy for the majority of the film.

Regardless of these thoughts, the characters were three dimensional and the writing was superb in a classic Woody Allen style. I would highly recommend spending a couple hours with Cafe Society. Have you watched it? What thoughts did you have on the piece?

17 December , 2016 by Sam Categories: Film, IdeasTags: Blake lively, Cafe society, cinema, film, Jesse eisenberg, kirsten stewart, review, steve carell, woody allen Leave a comment

5% Is Not Acceptable

Naomi Mcdougall Jones fired me up in her Ted Talk on revolutionizing not only the way women are seen in film but the amount of female driven films out there. She talks about women in front of and behind the camera and how our stories are meant to be heard. She even talks about her newest endeavor, The 51 Fund which helps female filmmakers reach the funding they need to produce feature films with budgets in the 1-5 million range. She encourages women to tell their stories because our films sell more tickets and appeal to the 51% of the audience that Hollywood ignores.

If you watch the above video you will see what and how she inspired me to start writing again. She pushed me to not only blog but to continue developing my scripts into feature length projects that I can move forward with finding the funding and directing myself because my ideas and my dreams are worth it. By next summer I hope to have three finished feature scripts and begin the funding process for my first feature film.

Will you join me and the many others who are taking Naomi’s challenge to pledge to watch one film by a female director a month? It is so upsetting to me that so few of my fellow female filmmakers are given the opportunity to work in our field, the statistics are upsetting. I for one choose not to let them get me down, I chose to pursue my creative endeavors by any means possible. Here is a great resource for finding films by women to help revolutionize the way we see women behind the camera, you can find the same link in the embedded Ted Talk above.

Only 5% of all major films since 1940 have been directed by women. This is not an acceptable statistic in the 21st century and I refuse to believe the garbage that women are not as creative as men. Hollywood needs to invest in it’s untapped potential and appeal to it’s largest audience – over 50% of movie tickets are purchased by women. I aim to be a part of the change and watch more films by women in hopes that this number will rise in future years.

10 December , 20167 December , 2016 by Sam Categories: Change, FilmTags: female filmmakers, film, makefilmslikeagirl, Naomi mcdougall jones, ted talk, women Leave a comment

Dear 35mm: With Love, A Former Projectionist

I remember when film was film, when a laser read a strip of audio from each frame and little bracket holes guided the film through the projector. If you listened closely you could hear the film running through the projector creating an unconscious timing. The viewer usually doesn’t notice it amidst the soundtrack of the motion picture they are experiencing. 

Films open on Thursday at midnight. Typically the reels arrive  between Monday and Thursday afternoon. It is broken into about 5-7 separate reels for the projectionist to build, adding the cinema’s personal reel as well as a few trailers to the beginning.

The projector has a three plate system. Once the projectionist has built the reels into one continuous piece of art they insert a ‘brain’ to the center of the plate. The film is then delicately threaded through the brain and across to the projector itself. There were many nights throughout my six years working with real film where we would fight the brain. Trying to save the film from as much harm as possible as it wrapped around the brain.

You must be sure not to get fingerprints on the frames, that the sound strip lines up properly, and you have left enough space in certain areas to eliminate any tearing of film during the timing. Your eyes can see twelve frames per second. 

Once everything is in place, hit a button – light the lamp, the projectionist watches through the window listening in. Ensuring they have done an admirable job in presenting an artist’s masterpiece.

When the switch to digital projection came about I will admit it significantly improved the smoothness of the business side of the theater. However there was no art in projectionists’ work. It became dull. The frames no longer tick by unconsciously timing the artistry. It feels more like lining up clips in iMovie than projecting a feature film to it’s first audiences. It was heartbreaking.

I first learned projection I was fifteen and had to beg my way in. I was told girls aren’t projectionists, I was too short, I wouldn’t be able to do it. Well I’m a pretty tenacious human being capable of doing anything she puts her mind to. Eventually they taught me. I was good, I cared about each frame that I touched. In some way I felt connected with the director whose vision created the film. 

Ultimately, it was this experience that lead me to pursue film production. I have a deep love of the painstaking agony that goes into every motion picture. It is a beautiful thing knowing how much work was put into a single showing. The credits don’t do those unsung heroes any justice, these are the people that drive a directors goal into a reality. They were on set 12 hours each day and more most of the time in all sorts of weather conditions. They are the true cinephiles. It’s a beautiful, diverse community of artists. Do you have a favorite cinema memory?

29 January , 201629 January , 2016 by Sam Categories: IdeasTags: 35mm, art, cinema, cinephile, film, motion picture, movie, projectionist, theater, theatre Leave a comment

Just The Spinach Entertainment

I had the most wonderful dream last week, I was so happy. I owned this lovely building with a production studio in the upper levels which you enter through the coffee shop below. There is a stage in the back of the coffee shop for performances and events. All the baristas make magical concoctions and people come to talk and connect. The only music that plays in my building can be found in a film soundtrack. Upstairs there is an editing suite, a black box theater,  prop room, equipment cage, a couple of conference rooms and a few offices as well. I was so happy walking through the doors in the morning, the barista handed me my coffee and we talked about how our numbers were. I went up the lift and greeted my secretary who told me we had an open mic night this evening at 8 and were filming two scenes in house in twenty minutes then moving to location to shoot six more. On the way back we would be stopping by a possible location for our next feature. She said we would arrive just in time for me to welcome the audience at open mic. Two of the sign ups had also submitted head shots for upcoming roles and I had to generate an opinion. It was a lovely dream, I would love to own such a business. Something that promotes all arts: visual, written, spoken, dance, theater, film and everything in between.

5 December , 20155 December , 2015 by Sam Categories: IdeasTags: art, business owner, create, Dance, dream, film, performance, Photography, theater Leave a comment

Couldn’t Finish This Film

There are very few movies that I have started and simply could not finish. Typically, if I start a film the student in me needs to see the end to complete my understanding and personal analysis of it. The first film I couldn’t finish (and to this day still have to watch in multiple sittings) was Blood Diamond. The way it threw reality right into your face and let it dance around was jarring. Seeing so many kids being treated in such a way and manipulated into killing others. I still  can’t look at a diamond with the idea of ‘girls best friend’, all I see is spilled blood for vanity’s sake. It disgusts me.

This week I have been on a huge Spike Lee kick; I’ve watched She’s Gotta Have it, Red Hook Summer, Miracle at St Anna, Inside Man, Crooklyn and Mo’ Better Blues. Today I’ll be watching some of his earlier short films and for the rest of the week I’ve got Jungle Fever, Malcolm X, Old Boy, and Passing Strange planned with a finale of Do The Right Thing which is my favorite Spike film and happened to come out the year I was born.

I tried watching Da Sweet Blood of Jesus and it became the second film I couldn’t finish watching. Have you tried watching this 2014 film? It’s pretty raw. I felt a constant state of unease and nausea. Although I did not finish this film, I’m certain that I was feeling exactly what the director wanted me to feel. His framing was on point like usual, it was just the content of drinking human blood to get closer to Jesus – or however he put it – that truly disturbed me to the core.

Maybe I do live with some rose colored glasses on but certain things kill my soul – children being slaughtered and slaughtering others and humans killing other’s to drink their blood. Oddly enough, I believe I have been conditioned by  the media to feel this way. At least about the blood. Vampires are one thing because we know they aren’t real so when they ‘come to suck your blood’ its almost comical, but the way Spike Lee shows this man losing his mind, stealing blood from a blood bank, and cutting open someone’s neck to go in there and drink the blood is too real – too raw. It reminded me of tribes of the world that have traits of cannibalism and shook me to my core.

Have you ever seen a film that you couldn’t finish? What are their titles? What themes do you find yourself shying away from?

Just a little disclaimer here: I’m sure there are plenty of horror films I couldn’t finish but that is an area of filmmaking that I will work on I just can’t watch! I’m a wimp – unless it has a solid storyline then I’m in!

24 November , 2015 by Sam Categories: FilmTags: blood, blood diamond, cinema, da sweet blood of jesus, diamond, disturbing, film, nerd, spike lee, thoughts Leave a comment

Chase of the Wolf

Chase of the Wolf was my first short film at film school, I was so nervous during this process. Being inspired by Atom Egoyan’s The Sweet Hereafter, I intertwined the story of the Three Little Pigs with my fictional story about a couple of kids who attempt to escape their alcoholic father.

There were so many tribulations on this production. Most stressful being that the “friend” who offered to play the third child chose to get drunk that night and be MIA for call time to drive to location (we carpooled from university). I started hyperventilating immediately – I thought the picture was finished. Who could I get on such short notice or no notice? My dear friend, who later became my producer, got behind the wheel and told me to start rewriting on the drive. We would make it work.

How could my story be an adaptation of the Three Little Pigs if there were only two ‘little pigs’? Not wanting to make my own screen debut while also directing, writing, producing, filming, and editing on my own, I pulled out my pencil and started cutting and editing my script. It felt all too natural to be making another draft – I had already done so many.

This was my first experience with lighting and the XL-1 that I was filming with so it was really trial and error. I learned so much just by doing it. When showing my film in narrative class, my teacher swore I filmed with the XL-2 because of how well lit she said my shots were. I was beaming. Something I thought would be ruined was turning out pretty okay.

I like to go back to this whenever I am starting a new project to remind myself that things always turn out better than I expect. As TG (my advisor and mentor) always says ‘always have a plan A – Z’ , This set taught me to be ready for everything and stay creative in working around a camera. I used a long board as a dolly for one shot and really just tried as many techniques as I could during the time I could get my friends to do whatever I said. It was great. Here’s a look at my very first film:

24 July , 20154 December , 2015 by Sam Categories: FilmTags: Atom Egoyan, Chase of the Wolf, cinema, Directing, DP, Editing, film, Filming, First Film, independent, Lighting, movie, plan, Problems, Producing, Solutuions, student, Sweet Hereafter, Three Little Pigs, Trials, Tribulations, writing Leave a comment

Believing in The Face of Opportunity

A few new opportunities have been coming my way and it has reshaped the way I wish to live my daily life. I have been thinking a lot about how I miss playing Lacrosse and performing, as well as wanting to leave the restaurant industry for good ad go full time creative. Recently, I wrapped a web series I was working on as the Script Supervisor and found inspiration for a few stories within myself to write. Unfortunately those stories must stay private for the time being.

An old lacrosse friend reached out to me about being a referee for local high school games and leagues recently. Another friend asked if I would be willing to teach an acting class to some children in my hometown at a dance studio. These both seem like a lot of fun however I feel a bit under qualified so I think I should take both these opportunities as a wake up call.

I need to do some work on myself to be able to take the opportunities I want for my life. These changes include completing the screenwriting certification course I started to boost morale, daily running to get in better shape for refereeing, and daily study and practice of breathing techniques and acting. I also want to spend time everyday in my office working on stories, I have too many incomplete scripts and it is frustrating. I want to add at least two new finished scripts by 2016.

I believe that if I work hard at filling my hours with goal oriented activity I can get enough gigs where I can leave the restaurant industry. I can be a ref during season and work on projects around that both on and off screen. I can even be a substitute teacher to supplement as needed. However I think that if I get some updated head shots I can get enough gigs acting and working on set that I won’t have to do that.

For now though it’s about creating a routine. Living in Florida means mid day running is suicide so I will have to start waking up earlier and running while it is still a little cool. Come home, take care of the dogs, shower, make coffee, take care of the plants and house work, write for an hour mid afternoon, and read up on techniques, rules, and random free courses I stumble upon before work, go to work, and afterwards watch movies for inspiration. That sounds like a perfect day; a nice balance of things I enjoy and things I could live without.

My meal plan creation has inspired me to bring some more order to my day to day life and I think it will have a positive affect. I’m buying a blender soon so I can have smoothies and help me in my dinnertime cooking – I think this will also help me stay healthy and able for lacrosse refereeing. I’m going to send my resume to the owner of the dance studio and hope it works out.

I believe that I am more capable than I think I am.

23 July , 201523 July , 2015 by Sam Categories: Change, IdeasTags: acting, balance, believe, change, film, fitness, florida, goals, lacrosse, lifestyle, opportunity, restaurant industry, running, script, server life, staying accountable, theater, writing Leave a comment

20 of My Favorite Films and the Masterminds Behind Them

1.  Jean-Pierre Dardenne & Luc Dardenne
2.  Rian Johnson
3.  Sofia Coppola
4.  Baz Luhrmann
5. Cameron Crowe
6.  James V. Hart
7.  John Lee Hancock
8.  Irena Brignull
9.  Caroline Thompson
10.  Charlie Kaufman
11.  Deborah Kampmeier
12.  Diablo Cody
13.  Jose Rivera
14.  Christopher Nolan (Based on a story by his brother Jonathan)
15.  Wes Anderson
16.  Alex Garland
17.  Richard LaGravenese
18.  Atom Egoyan
19.  Nick Hornby
20.  Jason Keller

20 February , 201519 July , 2015 by Sam Categories: FilmTags: adaptation, Alex Garland, Almost Famous, Atom Egoyan, August Rush, Baz Luhrmann, brick, Cameron Crowe, Caroline Thompson, Charlie Kaufman, Christopher Nolan, Deborah Kampmeier, Diablo Cody, Edward Scissorhands, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, F Scott Fitzgerald, Favorites, film, Hounddog, Inspiration, inspire change, Irena Brignull, James V. Hart, Jason Keller, jean-pierre dardenne, John Lee Hancock, Jonathan Nolan, Jose Rivera, Juno, l'enfant, Letters To Juliet, luc dardenne, Machine Gun Preacher, Memento, moonrise kingdom, movies, Never Let Me Go, Nick Hornby, P.S. I Love You, rian johnson, Richard LaGravanese, sofia coppola, The Blind Side, The Boxtrolls, the great gatsby, The Sweet Hereafter, the virgin suicides, Wes Anderson, wild Leave a comment

Wild with Witherspoon

Wednesday night on my search for inspiration I found myself at the only theater in town playing Wild with Reese Witherspoon (see trailer here). Although originally I had wanted to see this when it came out on Christmas, I still had my reservations because having a feature film based on one character being mostly alone in the woods could go terribly wrong.

I am happy to say that I misjudged Reese’s ability. She portrayed the ex-heroin and sex addict to the T. I felt her pain as she took care of her mom; it reminded me of what it was like to take care of my mom during her Hep C treatments. The way she spoke of giving up on herself and her life after her mom died I burst into tears. Her description resonated with me because nearly four years later and I am still trying to come to terms with my father’s death and realize my life again.

The director of photography did a splendid job! The shots were crisp and the scenery truly breathtaking. The smooth intertwining of flashbacks and the disillusionment associated with long periods of solitude were concise. I left the theater feeling as if I gained something important which, to me, is the true sign of a great film. If you haven’t yet seen Wild I highly suggest you go and check it out. You may just leave the theater a better person for it.

9 January , 201519 July , 2015 by Sam Categories: ReviewsTags: critic, film, heroin, hike, loss, love, pacific coast trail, reese witherspoon, review, sex, transcend, west coast, wild Leave a comment